An operating system (to be referred to as an OS hereinafter) of a computer has a concept called Plug and Play. Plug and Play is a mechanism which makes hardware or an external device usable only by connecting the hardware or external device to a computer main body.
For example, a USB device (a device (e.g., a printer or scanner) having a USB interface) corresponding to the standard of Plug and Play transmits, to the OS of a computer, unique identification information such as a hardware identifier (hardware ID) or USB identifier (USB ID) for specifying the USB device. On the basis of this unique identification information, the OS installs or sets a device driver or device setting information of the USB device in order to manage the USB device and make it usable.
A USB printer is a preferred example of the USB device. When this USB printer which has not been connected before is connected, Windows (registered trademark) which is an OS of Microsoft, U.S.A. expresses a hardware ID obtained by Plug and Play by a name (to be referred to as a printer name hereinafter) readily understandable by a user, and forms a printer object having this printer name on a graphical user interface provided by the OS.
If a printer whose printer object is already formed is connected again, the OS validates the corresponding printer object. In this case, the user selects the validated printer object when using the printer.
Assume that a USB printer having the same hardware ID as a printer whose printer driver is already installed is connected, i.e., a USB printer of the same type but has never been connected is connected. In this case, the OS compares the two USB IDs, and determines that this printer is another printer having the same hardware ID as that of the connected printer. As a consequence, the OS forms a new printer object on the basis of the already installed printer object, and manages the connected printer by assigning it the formed printer object.
In the Windows environment having the Plug and Play function as described above, when a printer of the same type but having a different USB ID is newly connected to a computer, a new printer object is formed on the basis of a printer object of an already installed printer of the same type.
Unfortunately, this method is sometimes inconvenient for a user who owns and uses a plurality of printers of the same type having the same hardware ID.
That is, even when a user has a plurality of printers of the same type, if he or she intends to alternately use them, he or she may want to use the same printer setting information or the same printer object.
For example, when ten salespersons use five mobile printers, each salesperson does not use the same printer; he or she brings an arbitrary unused mobile printer to a customer or the like on a day he or she wants to use the printer, and prints proposal data or the like by connecting the printer to his or her own personal computer.
As described above, if printer objects equal in number to printers exist, a user must switch these printer objects and must individually set the printing conditions. That is, in the above example, each salesperson's notebook personal computer contains a maximum of five printer objects, so he or she must take some time to switch these printer objects by checking the actually connected mobile printer when printing data or the like.
Also, if a printer goes out of order and its substitute must be used, a new printer object corresponding to this substitute is formed, when the substitute is connected, in addition to a printer object corresponding to the faulty printer.
Unfortunately, when this formed printer object of the substitute is displayed, it is not distinguished from that of the faulty machine. Therefore, the user cannot easily identify the printer object of the substitute. In addition, although the two printers are of the same type, the user must take some time to perform initial settings such as printer settings again.